22/07/2024
Sir Geoffrey has sought assurances from the new Labour Government that it will keep Dartmoor Prison open and that it has a long-term future under Labour.
Sir Geoffrey, who fought off an attempt by the Prison Service to close the prison in 2019, was in close dialogue with the former Conservative Government about its future until the general election and now has written to the Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood MP, questioning the decision to cease its use "temporarily".
The MP said: "We are led to believe that this closure is temporary, but I am puzzled why, in the light of the shortage of prison places, the Government has given in to demands to evacuate the prison because of radon gas. That problem has been known for several years, mitigating measures were being taken, and the Conservative Government did not accept the health and safety executive's suggestion that the gas infringed the legal standards of exposure or was a substantial risk to prisoners.
I am seeking urgent explanations and assurances that the necessary action will be taken to reopen the prison as soon as possible. When I visited last year, I found a well-run prison and a dedicated staff. It makes no sense at all for this prison to be closed without the most compelling reasons and it is vital for the staff and their families that the uncertainty is removed soon."
